Hydrostatic electric amalgamator



(Nov Model.)

J. D. MGKINNON. HYDROSTATIG 'ELECTRIC AMALGAMATOR. No. 548,265.

Patented Oct. 22, 1895.'

Nieren "raras JAMES D. MCKINNON, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

HYD ROSTATICy ELECTRIC AMALGAMTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,265, dated October 22, 1895.

Appne'eaee mea Deeembee1 14,1894. serrano. 531,844. (No meten To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES D.'MoK1NNoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrostatic Electric Amalgamators; and I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in hydrostatic electric amalgamators, and the novelty will be fully understood from the following description 'and claims vwhen taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved apparatus, showing the same as in operation, with a part of the water-pipe broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates a frame, which may be of any suitable construction to receive and support the various parts of my apparatus.

B indicates an apron. C indicates ahydrostatic chute leading from said apron in an inclined manner and connecting with the first set ot' rifdes.

D indicates a frame, which is disposed horizontally and may be formed in one piece, and contains two sets or series of riftles a and b, and from one end of this frame leads an inclined discharge-spout E. The first set or series of riies a, have their inclined walls c and d, of a greater height than the walls of the second set or series of riftles b. This construction is better shown in Fig. l of the drawings, in

which the tops e of the first set or series of riftles are disposed at a greater altitude than the tops fof the second set or series. The oppositely-inclined or upwardly-diverging walls o d, as better shown in Fig. 1, form rifiies a b, of approximately triangular form in cross-section. This form of rifie isf advantageous, inasmuch as a small quantity of mercury (the saving of which is a desideratum in this class of devices) placed therein is contracted, and therefore presents a proportionately greater thickness to the pulp, and at the same time presents to the pulp a broad upper surface, so as to enable it to amalgamate with a large amount of metal. The apron B, onto which the gold-bearing material, either black sand or crushed quartz, is fed, may be dis-l posed horizontally, and the hydrostatic chute O, which leads therefrom, connects with the first series of rifties and has a bend g for a purpose which will presently appear. The chute is covered, as shown at h, so as to contine the volume in its descent and contract its discharge as it enters into the tirst riftie. The riles which are designed to be lled with mercury are all disposed transversely of the frame, and each is designed to empty the water, sand, dac., into the one next in the series, and the first series empties into the next series below. The discharge-spout E, which is pitched or inclined, has its connection with the frame D and with the last riiiie of the lower series at an altitude the same or approximately the same as the top cof the first series of riftles.

As the water is passed down the hydrostatic chute,and with it the black sand or pulverized quartz, it will be brought into contact with mercury which is placed in the riftles, when an amalgam will be formed between the gold or other precious metal and the quicksilver.

By having the walls of the set or series of riftles b lower than the walls of the riiiies a, and the connected end of the spout E at the same altitude as the tops of the first series of riiiies it will be seen that what may be properly termed a basin is formed at the discharge end of the frame D, which will receive and retard the passage of the water, sand, &c., over the set of riiiies b and will enable the mercury in the said riftles to amalgamate with any gold or platin-um that may remain in the water or sand after the same passes over the riftles a. 1t will also be seen that by reason of the construction described should any of the mercury be washed from the first set or series of rifties d it will be prevented from passing out of the frame D, whichv is a desideratum.

In order to render the mercury active and keep the surface of the same clean, so as to enable rit to better amalgamate with the gold,

IOO

I place electrodes F F in contact with the mercury and the pulp above the mercury and ar- The whole frame may be subjected either` to lateral or longitudinal vibratory motion by any suitable means. As one convenient means of imparting such vibratory motion to the frame, I might employ an eccentric, such as I-l, connected with a suitable drive-shaft, and suspend the frame from `a support by hangers I. I do not, however, wish to confine myself to any particular means of imparting motion to the apparatus, as there are many ways in which this might be accomplished. Theshaking movement, however, is very desirable, as it causes the heaviermatter to set- Ile in the bottom of the troughs or riies and shifts the lighter particles to the next succeeding one, where the amalgam is formed.

W`henthe gold-bearingmateral is fed upon thcapron B, it is carried `down the chuteC and passes through the mercury with the water, which is also fed down the-chute. During the descent of thematerial the gold naturally works `to the bottom of the chute andl is forced into contact with themercury at the bend or depression g at the edge of the first riftle, where a large percentage will be amalgamated and dropped into the first riiiie. The gold or other precious met-al escaping this point will'iioat to thesurface of the `mercury and drop into the next riffle, and soon throughout theseries, while thelfineparticles of gold that may pass the first series will be cast down in the next series of riiiles,'the water and other waste matter passing 0E through the discharge-spout E.

In order to render the operation more effective, and as the invention is designed more particularly for working flour gold, such as is found along the Pacific coast in deposits of black sand, I provide a fall o'r spread above the riffles, there being any suitable number employed. `In the present illustration I have shown a pipe J, disposed longitudinally above the riifles. This pipe leads from the apron B or any suitable point and has its opposite end closed, the pipe being arranged horizontally, or approximately so.

K indicates branch pipes which'communicate with the Water-pipe J andi'extend laterally therefrom in opposite directions. These transversely-disposed pipesl K are closed at their ends and provided in their bottomswith holes or perforations L, as shown. In the drawings one of these pipes is shown as arranged above the first riffle of the first series and another above theiirst riiile of thesecond series; but it is obviou'sthat `more `may be used. With these perforated pipes arranged as described and as mercury is so much heavier than water the black sand or quartz, after passing through the bend g, will not again sink intothe mercury, but will float over the surfaceof the same unless cast down by the water discharged from the perforated pipes, the particles of gold being forced down and into contact with the mercury becoming amalgamated `and dropping into the diiferent riflles.

By this construction and operation I am able `to recover alarger percentage of gold than heretofore. p

In order that the quicksilver may be drawn from the rifiles prior to cleaning up, I provide plugs or faucets M at the base of any number of rililes in the sides of the frame, as shown.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- `1. The :hereinfde'scribed amalgamator comprising the approximately horizontal 'frame D, formed inone piece andprovided with the set or 'series of transverse riifles a, having their `bottoms arranged in the same plane and also having the inclined or `upwardly diverging side walls and adapted to contain `mercury, and the `setor series of `transverse riilles b, having theirbottoms arranged in the same plane as the set a, and the upper edges of their inclined side walls in aplane below the upper edges of the `side walls of set a, and also `adapted to contain mercury, the dischargerspout `Fqconnec'ted to `the outer end riifleof 'the'set b, and having its connected end arranged in the same plane as the upper edges of the side walls ofthe rinies a, the inclined `hydrostatic chute @connected with theouter end rinde of the series or set a, below the plane of 'the upper edge of the side wall thereof and having the bend or pocket g, at its lower end, and the forward `end `and side wallsconnected to the frame D, and having their upper edges arranged in a plane above the upper-edges of the `side walls of the riiies ct, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The herein described amalgamator coinprising the approximately horizontal frame D, provided with the set or series of transverse riffies a, having the inclined or upwardly diver-ging side walls c, d, and containing mercury, andthe `set or `series of transverse riles `b,`having the inclined or upwardly diverging walls 0,61, and also containingmercuryand having the upper edges of their side walls arranged in a plane below the upper Vedges of the side walls a, the discharge spout E, connected to the outer end riffie of the set b, and having `its connected end arrangedin `the same plane as the upper edges of -theside walls of the riiiies ct, the inclined hydrostatic chu'teC, connected with the outer end riliie of the series orset ct, below the plane of the upper edge of the side wall thereof and having `the'bend or pocket g, at its lower end, the forward endand side Walls connected to the frame 1D, and having their upper edges arranged fin a plane above the upper edges of IOC IIO

the side Walls of the rifes a, and the longitudinal Water pipe arranged above the rifdes and extending over the two sets of rifes and having the lateral branch pipes perforated in 5 their under side so as to spray water on the materials in or on the rifles, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two Witnesses. y JAMES D. MCKINNON.

Witnesses:

F. OLARNO, K. DARRIN. 

